The Russian Internet Bill: People Protest against the Internet Security Reform

To prepare the nation to be self-sufficient the Putin governments new Internet Security Bill is making wide protests in several parts of the country.

Thousands of people in Russia have protested against plans to introduce tighter restrictions on the internet.A mass rally in Moscow and similar demonstrations in two other cities were called after parliament backed the controversial bill last month.

campaigners say it is an attempt to increase censorship and stifle dissent.Activists say more than 15,000 people gathered in Moscow on Sunday, which is double the estimate given by the police.

Some protesters chanted slogans such as “hands off the internet” and “no to isolation” while others gave speeches on a large stage.

“If we do nothing it will get worse,” one protester told Reuters news agency. “The authorities will keep following their own way and the point of no return will be passed.”

The government says the so-called digital sovereignty bill will reduce Russia’s reliance on internet servers in the United States.

It seeks to stop the country’s internet traffic being routed through foreign servers.

The bill will again put by the last of this month for vote and if it gets passed eventually the President have to sign the bill for further implications.

Russia’s main security agency, the FSB, said at the time that Telegram was the messenger of choice for “international terrorist organisations in Russia”.